Metal Channel Anchor with Enhanced Holding Strength

Abstract

A longitudinal channel with increased holding strength, configured for use as an anchoring element for an anchor used in supporting objects on a substrate and a method for the production thereof and an anchor. The channel has a generally U-shaped axial cross section in at least a portion thereof with, the U-shaped cross section being comprised of longitudinal side walls and a longitudinal base connection between the side walls. The side walls have free edges configured for holding contact with the substrate. A portion of the free edges of the channel are covered with a planar continuous surface material which is co-extensive with non-covered free edges whereby the planar continuous surface material and the free edges provide a planar holding surface with greater surface area than that of the free edges alone for the increased holding strength.

Claims

1. A longitudinal channel providing increased holding strength, configured for use as an anchoring element for an anchor used in supporting objects on a substrate, the channel comprising a generally U-shaped axial cross section in at least a portion thereof, the U-shaped cross section being comprised of longitudinal side walls and a longitudinal base connection between the side walls with the side walls having free edges configured for holding contact with the substrate; wherein a portion of the free edges of the channel are covered with a planar continuous surface material which is co-extensive with non-covered free edges whereby the planar continuous surface material and the free edges provide a planar holding surface with greater surface area than that of the free edges alone for the increased holding strength.

2. The longitudinal channel of claim 1, wherein the channel is comprised of metal.

3. The longitudinal channel of claim 2, wherein the planar continuous surface material comprises a covering section positioned on a recessed portion of the free edges to provide the planar holding surface.

4. The longitudinal channel of claim 3, wherein the channel comprises an integral one piece element, wherein a portion thereof is folded over and fitted into the recessed portion.

5. The longitudinal channel of claim 2 wherein the planar continuous surface material comprises a surface of partially or completely filled in volume between a portion of the side walls filled up to the level of the free edges to provide the continuous planar holding surface to a level of the free edges.

6. The longitudinal channel of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal base section is apertured in the center thereof with a threaded aperture configured for threaded engagement with a threaded holding element and wherein the planar continuous surface is positioned on one side of the aperture in a longitudinal direction of the channel.

7. An anchor comprising the longitudinal channel of claim 7, at least one longitudinal manipulating element rotatably connected to the longitudinal for positioning the longitudinal channel into a load bearing holding position on a non accessible surface of the substrate, and a position fixing member for fixing the longitudinal channel into the load bearing holding position.

8. A method for producing the longitudinal channel of claim 4, comprising the steps of: v. stamping out a one piece metal blank of generally rectangular configuration having a longitudinal axis, two width ends and two length ends, the blank being formed with a centrally positioned aperture and a generally rectangular tongue section having edges along the longitudinal axis and extending centrally out of one width end of the blank in a direction along the longitudinal axis and equally spaced from the length ends, the length having two recesses formed in edges thereof; each recess having a width equal to a thickness of the metal blank and a length equal to each other and no greater than a distance from a width end to the aperture, and with a length of the tongue being equal to the spacing thereof to the longitudinal end plus the length of the recesses; vi. folding each side of the metal blank along a line longitudinal coextensive with the edges of the tongue section to a perpendicular position to form channel legs; vii. folding the tongue section into a perpendicular position closely adjacent the perpendicular legs; and viii. folding the perpendicularly extending tongue section at ends of the channel legs to perpendicularly fit into the two recesses; whereby a surface of the tongue section is coextensive and planar with remaining edges of the legs.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a prior art metal channel anchor with manipulating straps;

[0019] FIGS. 2A-D is a sequential depiction of the installation of the anchor of FIG. 1, from insertion within an aperture in a wall (FIG. 2A), expansion behind the wall and position locking with the ratcheting cap (FIG. 2B), snapping off of excess strap material (FIG. 2C) and bolt and object installation (FIG. 2D);

[0020] FIG. 3 is a top view of a metal blank configured for folding of sections to form a metal channel of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the metal blank of FIG. 3;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a side view of the metal blank of FIGS. 3 and 5 showing a uniform metal thickness;

[0023] FIG. 6 is a side view of a metal channel formed from the blank of FIGS. 3-5;

[0024] FIG. 7 is a top view thereof;

[0025] FIG. 8 is a bottom view thereof;

[0026] FIG. 9 is an end view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

[0027] FIG. 10 is an end view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 7;

[0028] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the metal channel of FIG. 6 with the fold section on top; and

[0029] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the metal channel of FIG. 6 with the fold section on bottom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION AND DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 depicts a typical commercially available anchor 1 having a metal channel anchoring element 10. The channel element 10 is configured to be tightly drawn against a substrate and locked into position to effect an anchoring configuration for objects to be anchored to the substrate. An installation sequence and final anchoring position is shown in FIGS. 2A-2D which depicts the manner in which the anchor 1 of FIG. 1 is installed on a typical wall substrate such as of gypsum wallboard or sheetrock.

[0031] In FIG. 2A, the anchor 1, in the folded configuration shown in FIG. 1, is inserted into aperture 21 in wall board 20, with leading channel element 10 until proximal end 10a clears the interior surface 20a of the wall board 20 peripheral to aperture 21. At this point, anchor legs 2a and 2b are slidingly aligned to cause the channel 10, pivotally attached to legs 2a and 2b at apertures 12a and 12b, to assume the position shown In FIG. 2B with the channel upright sections 11a and 11b bearing directly against the interior surface 22 of the wall board 20. One way ratcheting aperture cap or hat 3 is moved into snug contact with the exterior wall surface 23 of the wall board 20 proximate to aperture 21. Remaining outwardly extending sections of anchor legs 2a and 2b are snapped off, as shown in FIG. 2c to complete the positioning placement of anchor 1 in wall 20. FIG. 2D further depicts the use of bolt 5 to fasten the bracket 6 to the anchor 1 on wall board 20. Bolt 5 passes through an aperture 6a in the bracket 6, the aperture in cap 3 and is threaded into threaded aperture 13 to complete the anchoring operation.

[0032] As is evident from FIG. 2D, upper leg sections 2a and 2b, which bear against interior wall board surface 22, strain the surface with a concentrated small area force at the free edges of the upper leg sections 2a and 2b and the gravitational forces exerted by weight on the bracket 6. The edges pf upper leg sections 2a and 2b are akin to blunt knife edges against a yielding gypsum wallboard, with anchor failure and upper load limit being attributable thereto.

[0033] The modified channel element 100 is shown in FIGS. 3-12 as being formed from a shaped metal blank shown in FIGS. 3-5 to the formed channel 100 of FIGS. 6-12 with flat bearing surface 101 instead of the prior art blunt load bearing edges 2a and 2b of the prior art.

[0034] Starting with the channel blank 100 in FIGS. 3-5, an essentially rectangular blank (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3) which forms the prior art channel 10, is modified with the addition of integral fold-over tongue section 102. Indents 103a and 103b are formed with a length corresponding to length L of tongue section 102 and a width equivalent to the thickness of the metal blank material. Indent sections 104a and 104b serve to relieve stress of folding of the blank metal. Fold lines 105a and 105b, in FIG. 3 are essentially the same as those of the prior art channel used to position and form legs 112a and 112b thereof. Fold lines 106a and 106b show where tongue section 102 is folded up and then over the top of formed legs 112a and 112b for seating into indents 103a and 103b. Flat bearing surface 101 is integrally formed without extending areas which may snag on the insertion aperture 21 as shown in FIGS. 6, 8, 11 and 12. The tongue section 102 extends from one end of the channel blank to permit an opposite open end for folding placement of anchor legs 2a and 2b into the channel 100 during insertion of the anchor into the insertion aperture 21. Maximum length of the flat bearing surface 101 is up to the position of threaded aperture 13 so as not to impede bolt insertion. Aside from the overlapping tongue section 102, the channel is the same as that of the prior art channel as in views of FIGS. 6-12, with corresponding pivoting leg engaging apertures 12a and 12b and bolt engaging threaded aperture 13.

[0035] In order to maximize the holding strength and reduce untoward failure in sheet rock material, the anchor is installed such that the load bearing surface is positioned above the insertion aperture whereby the flat bearing surface directly resists gravitation pull out forces.

[0036] It is understood that the above drawings and example is illustrative of the present invention and that changes may be made to the structure and configuration of the channel and the method of production thereof such as by casting to make the channel solid at the flat surface bearing section of the channel. Other changes in structure, materials, configuration, method of production and the like may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.